Airline to recruit 4,000 cabin crew

WITH the recession forcing thousands to fly to far flung shores in the hope of finding a job, Emirates is coming here in search of 4,000 high flyers.

The Dubai-based airline is holding four recruitment days across the country over the next 10 days in the hope of hiring cabin crew.

The days are being held in advance of the launch of Emirates’ daily passenger service from Dublin to Dubai, which begins on January 9. It is the Emirates’ first Irish route.

The airline already employs 232 Irish people, 139 of whom are cabin crew, based in the airline’s home of Dubai.

“We are looking to recruit 4,000 cabin crew and our policy has always been to recruit staff from countries where there is a strong hospitality tradition,” said Laurie Berryman, the airline’s vice president for Britain and Ireland.

Emirates said the upcoming recruitment days will give interested applicants the opportunity to find out what the role entails as well as learning more about Dubai itself.

The airline said the city is “a thriving metropolis” offering “an exceptional lifestyle and a vast range of leisure and cultural attractions, in addition to the sunny weather all year long”.

The recruitment days will take place in Dublin on October 27 at the Central Hotel on Exchequer Street; in Galway on October 30 at the Harbour Hotel on New Dock Road; in Limerick on November 2 at the Limerick Strand Hotel and in Cork on November 5 at the Gresham Metropole Hotel on MacCurtain Street. All events commence at 9am and full details can be found at www.emiratesgroupcareers.com.

Meanwhile, over 400 jobs are set to be created in what Government ministers have claimed is further proof that Ireland is overcoming the recession.

The jobs boost is courtesy of leading hedge fund group, HedgeServ, and Canadian IT firm, Pivot Acquisition Corporation, which are making 300 and 100 positions available in Dublin and Galway respectively.

HedgeServ, which is located at St Stephen’s Green in Dublin city, did not provide a specific date for when the financial jobs would be made available.

However, its chairman and co-founder, Jim Kelly, said the move is the result of a “substantial expansion” plan which also includes 150 posts coming on-stream in the past 12 months.

The company said that Ireland’s 12.5% corporation tax rate was a key factor in setting up in Galway, while the availability of high-speed broadband and a well educated workforce were also prime reasons.